On the Eve of Moving to Harris Street
by singingstarryknights
Summary: Sara and Greg bring their daughter home from the hospital. Number 19 in the Ducks in a Row Series.


On the Eve of Moving to Harris Street

Nora's first night home from the hospital

Number 19 in the Ducks in a Row Series

………

"So what to we do with her now?" Greg peered over the side of the basinet as Sara placed their tiny little newborn among the soft linens.

"How should I know?" They stood on either side of the basinet, and watched as Nora yawned, squeezing her eyes shut, and curling her little fingers into fists, quickly falling back asleep as Sara laid a thin blanket around her.

"You _always_ know stuff."

"About forensics, Greg. I don't know anything about this."

"It can't be hard. People do it all the time."

"Did you read that book?"

"I thought you did."

"Alright, so no one read the book."

"Again. What do we do?"

"There's nothing to do, Gregory." He sighed, unable to refrain from grinning childishly at their tiny baby, finally here, finally home.

"Is it weird that our last night in this apartment is her first night home?" Greg smiled tenderly at his wife, leaning over the basinet to catch her in a gentle kiss.

"I wanted to be moved into the house before the baby came."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. You weren't the one pushing your way out of my body ten days early." He glanced at her, a suggestive smirk across his face as she adjusting the blanket around Nora's little feet. She caught the glint in his eye and sighed, wincing as she straightened.

"You alright?" He held out a hand to her, and she took it, letting him pull her against him gently in a closeness that had been missing for the last six months. He wrapped his arms around her loosely, careful of her sore abdomen. She nodded, laying her arms across his shoulders and hugging him companionably. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo, and a trace of the baby scent that had invaded his every atom as soon as Nora had been born. He felt her sigh against his tee shirt, and he leaned down gently to kiss her.

"Let's get some sleep while she does." Sara made her way around the basinet, and threaded her fingers through his, pulling him along with her the few feet to the bed. He let her settle down amid the covers before joining her, slipping in, and drawing her body delicately against his own, pressing a kiss to her neck, and laying an arm carefully around her middle. He had been waiting six months to hold her like this, and he smiled into her curls as she relaxed against him. He listened to her chuckle softly as he dropped kisses along her neck and shoulder.

"Dr. Hart said we can't do that for a few weeks, Gregory."

"Can't a man hug his wife?" His whispers were soft, and his tone was joking, but he loosened his already gentle hold on her instantly, afraid of hurting her. She snuggled against him, tangling her fingers with his own reassuringly.

"I won't break." He pulled her closer, finding that having her against him like this had him fighting off several unmentionable scenarios.

"Thank you." He mumbled into her hair, and she smiled at his breath against her neck.

"For what?"

"For all my dreams come true, Sara Jane." Her weary smile broadened to a grin, and she turned in his arms, coming to face him, her head resting against the pillow beside his.

"I love you." He eyes flickered from her own to her lips, and he shifted, pressing a gentle, slow, deepened kiss to her mouth. His fingers asked permission, barely touching her thigh, bringing her closer to him. She shifted against him, ignoring the uncomfortable sore of her abdomen in favor of the comfortable, loving flash of heat where his fingers touched her skin.

He was handling her as if she would shatter at any moment, probably because they were a ways away from emerging from the post-partum phase, at least a month away from resuming their routine of extra-curricular activities. Dr. Hart had said that they could have sex again whenever Sara felt that she was ready, but to wait at least until her next appointment, three weeks away.

He paid meticulous attention to their kiss, gently taking her bottom lip between both of his, tangling his tongue with hers lovingly. She moaned softly against him, and he pulled her instinctively toward him, the palm of his hand sliding from her thigh to her waist.

She winced, she couldn't help it, and he pulled away instantly, loosening his grip immediately, and giving her a concerned look.

"I'm so sorry, oh God, are you okay?" He missed the faint smile on her lips as he went into his 'EMT' mode, pulling away from her completely, and lifting up the blankets, glancing up and down her body, presumably checking for any outward signs of her sore dull pain. He turned back to her at her soft chuckle, and his concerned frown turned to a tiny smile. "I'm a jerk, I'm sorry. You just gave birth and here I am feeling you up." She rolled her eyes at him, and he lay back down, pulling her ever so carefully into his arms again. They lied there, content with each other's presence, and the soft breathing of the tiny newborn in the basinet a few feet form the end of the bed. They lay in silence for several minutes, Sara relaxing into Greg's arms, and Greg slowly dozing off to sleep.

"I'm sorry, Greg."

"What? Why?" He pulled back to catch her eye, and she smiled sadly at him, rolling over onto her back, facing him as he propped himself up on an elbow.

"We hadn't gone more than 48 hours without being intimate since our first kiss, and it'll be another two months before I completely heal, and it's already been more than four since the last time." She pursed her lips, giving him an apologetic look.

"Sara, love, we have the rest of our lives to sleep together. I don't want to hurt you, I just want to be near you." She smiled, and he dropped a kiss sweetly to her lips. He lay back down, and she curled into him gently, leaving more space between them than she usually would. He curled his arm around her shoulders, and she settled against him lightly.

"Are you happy?" Her voice came out as a mumble, against his tee shirt. Before he got a chance to answer, Nora began to cry softly. He kissed Sara's forehead, and slipped out from her hold, making his way over to the basinet and carefully lifting his tiny baby daughter out form the blankets. Sara shifted, sitting up against the headboard of the bed, and waited for Greg to hand her the baby. He cradled her in both of his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Now I know you're new to this and everything, but your mother and I were having a moment." Greg sat down and shifted over to Sara's side. Nora let out a wail, and Greg brushed his finger against her little fist, prompting her to grasp onto it tightly. Greg sat back against the headboard, and Sara leaned against him, touching Nora's little head of curly blonde hair. She settled down in Greg's arms, and her crying wound down to a soft whimper in a matter of minutes. Sara watched Greg as he held their daughter, and smiled as he grinned at the little newborn. "Hey, Sara Jane?"

"Mmhmm."

"Would you be mad at me if I told you I've fallen in love with a younger woman?" Greg turned from Nora in his arms, to his wife. Sara laughed softly, and kissed his shoulder.

"Just as long as it's this one." Greg laughed, and leaned over, catching her in a soft kiss. "I'm glad she's finally here."

"I'm glad she's home." Greg handed Nora to Sara as she began to whimper again, and Sara coddled her gently, rocking her back to sleep. He watched her shift Nora gently, and he found himself tumbling into love all over again, completely in awe of the woman beside him. Sara looked up at him from the newborn sleeping in her arms, and caught Greg watching her intently, almost as if he was examining a piece of evidence.

"Greg?"

He must have been staring.

"I was just thinking."

"About."

"It's real."

"What is?"

"Everything. You. Me. The baby. Our life. There's no escaping now. There's no turning back."

"Did you ever want to escape?" There was laughter in her voice, but her features were serious.

"Never. Never ever." He kissed her again, before turning his attention to Nora. "She's beautiful."

"She looks like this guy I slept with."

"Do I know him?"

"Just some Level One." He grinned at her humor, brushing his lips against hers again. "Brilliant. Science geek. Norwegian."

"I love you." She returned his smile, and leaned against him.

"I love you, too."

………

A/N: having trouble with transitions… major writer's block issues…sry.


End file.
